Though its formula wears a bit thin by the 15th or 16th cut,
Soar
finds Berkeley, CA.-based quintet
Samiam
getting the most out of its West Coast punk sound with varying degrees of success. Erstwhile
Bad Religion
member
Brett Gurewitz
co-produced, and the album has a slick, refined sound that often overshadows its contents. There are standouts --
"Clean,"
"Ed Says,"
and
"Where D'Ya Go?"
among them -- but
does not showcase the depth the band would achieve later in its career. ~ Brian Raftery